Surgical Management of Early-Onset Breast Cancer Among Young BRCA1 and BRCA2 Carriers

Among women carrying germline BRCA pathogenic variants who are diagnosed with early-onset breast cancer, what factors are associated with surgical decisions and uptake of bilateral mastectomy? This cohort study that included 4715 young BRCA carriers across 5 continents found that 1 in 4 patients underwent bilateral mastectomy as their primary breast surgery, with increasing uptake over time. In adjusted analyses, geographic region and genetic testing performed at or before diagnosis were associated with bilateral mastectomy receipt. The findings of this study support early genetic testing for young women with breast cancer to help optimize local therapy decisions.

Corresponding Author: Stephanie M. Wong, MD, MPH, Stroll Cancer Prevention Centre, Jewish General Hospital Segal Cancer Centre, 3755 Cote Ste Catherine, E713, Montreal, QC H3T1E2, Canada (sm.wong@mcgill.ca).

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